9 Month Stretch 2013

Ariane Felder, a judge in her forties, is a little stuck and single, and she is totally reluctant to date men. On New Year’s Eve 2013, strongly encouraged by her colleagues, she drinks more than enough and loses control of herself. Among those colleagues, Daisy stands out, pushing her to loosen up and follow the moment, even if it feels risky.

Six months later, Ariane discovers that she is pregnant, but she is not sure who the father might be. She initially suspects Judge De Bernard, an enterprising colleague who is too sweet with her, and she weighs the possibility that this could be a professional mistake she will have to face. Yet her instincts drive her to investigate further, and the clues point toward a much more complicated and troubling predicament than she anticipated.

The real father turns out to be the famous Bob Nolan, a man described as a lover of prostitutes and a burglar with a history of repeated offenses, whose name has appeared in headlines for violent acts, including accusations that he cut the four limbs of an old man. The revelation changes everything for Ariane, who must reckon with the consequences of this disclosure as she navigates an uncertain future for her unborn child.

Arrest follows as Nolan is brought into custody, and during an interview it appears he recognizes Ariane, though he remains unaware that she herself is carrying his child. The tension intensifies as the case widens beyond a private matter and intertwines with legal scrutiny, public perception, and the fragile boundaries between personal safety and accountability.

When the situation spirals, Nolan, now on the run, breaks into Ariane’s home. He catches her in a moment of fear and desperation, attempting a dangerous act described as a “criminal” abortion by deliberately aiming to harm the unborn child with a fall from a pile of furniture. The confrontation is harrowing and reveals how quickly one night of choices can collide with law, ethics, and the fear of a scandal that could ruin both their lives.

In a final, fraught encounter, Nolan offers a stark deal: he will keep silent about his nocturnal activities if Ariane helps him convince the world that he is not the barbaric figure that has dominated headlines. The bargain forces Ariane to confront not only the risks to her baby but also the moral compromises that can arise when fear, desire, and justice collide.

Throughout this tense, morally charged narrative, the story follows Ariane’s struggle to protect her autonomy and future while facing a danger that seems to come from the shadows of her own past choices. The film uses tightly wound encounters, courtroom atmosphere, and a chilling cat-and-mouse dynamic to probe how far someone will go to safeguard their life, their reputation, and the life growing inside them.